Suárez bites the hand that feeds him. Again. (Updated)

Before today Liverpool FC’s biggest problem was whether they could prevent Luis Suárez departing this summer.

The guy is more than a genius; he’s a hard-working genius. They’re not common. Unfortunately for his employer, Liverpool Football Club, his manager, Carnlough’s Brendan Rogers and, not least, his opponent, Branislav Ivanovic, the reason he’s known as The Cannibal in Holland became clear this afternoon.

One bitten opponent later and LFC’s biggest problem is whether they can justify not forcing his exit.

Like Suárez’s employers, the Boston Red Sox owners, I watched today’s game on US television. The “verdict” of the US panel: Liverpool must fire him.

Harsh?

I’m not sure measured responses matter so much to these owners as the negative coverage itself -and Suárez keeps supplying it. If this is the Americans’ primary lens, Sureaz is gone.

Prior to this afternoon I considered it churlish for anyone to even propose any player not named Luis Suárez as the rightful Player of the Year in England. Now – well, what a shame. Self-sabotage I believe the shrinks call it.

But hey, if Eric Cantona and Man Utd survived his entering the stands to administer street justice to an abusive fan, then, perhaps, this is ‘survivable’ too.

That survival starts with getting in front of this story. Suárez must make a contrite public confession and apology – tonight.

Whether the game can afford to keep him is a different debate.

Thoughts?

*Update

The Guardian reports: “I’m sad for what happened this afternoon, I apologize Ivanovic and all football world for my inexcusable behaviour. I’m so sorry about it!!

Twitter? Not exactly what I had in mind. Before it’s too late:

1. Get in front of a camera (dress humbly) 2. Get your manager alongside you 3. Consider wearing eye drops 4. Mention how you’ve been inspired by your charity work to better your ways.

By apologizing on Twitter you’ve played your only card weakly – you’re apologizing as an isolated individual, you need to apologize as an employee – makes it harder for them to take you on.

You don’t have long left until you’ve lost all control over the narrative.

**Update II

Still not the press event they need(ed) but better than Twitter: Liverpool Football Club has the following response to the incident that occurred during today’s game at Anfield:

“I have issued an apology and have tried to contact Branislav Ivanović to speak to him personally. I apologise also to my manager, playing colleagues and everyone at Liverpool Football Club for letting them down.”

The club’s managing director Ian Ayre commented: “Luis has made an unreserved apology for his actions today.

“His behaviour is not befitting of any player wearing a Liverpool shirt and Luis is aware that he has let himself and everyone associated with the club down. We will deal with the matter internally and await any action from the FA.”

Brendan Rodgers added: “Having reviewed the video footage and spoken to Luis, his behaviour is unacceptable and I have made him aware of this.”

A diehard Gooner, I watched this game in a gloomy mood after watching Tottenham not only come back from 0-1 down against Man City, but go on to comprehensively thrash them 3-1 with three cracking goals. I had been looking forward to defeats of Tottenham and later Chelsea that our road to European Champions League might be the more accessible. When Chelsea went one up then 1-2 was in a mood for almost anything Liverpool could do to them so long as goals resulted but even I was unprepared for Hannibal Lecter.

As my son-in-law texted to me, “He’s an animal ! Disgusting behaviour. Great player, but he;s got issues.” Which sums it up rather neatly I thought. The very first thing that occurred to me once I had recovered from disbelief was that this guy clearly needs help – and soon !

The immediate reaction of the pundits here was also that he must be sacked but an hour later they seemed to be back-pedallling and were now talking suspension and fines. I should have thought that when the press get going it won’t be long before Old Bill want a peek at the replay footage and Suarez finds himself up before The Beak. All of this is a heaven-sent opportunity to divert the attention of the Great Unwashed from what vile things Chancellor Osborne and Sheriff IDS gave in store for them.

While it was understandable that Brendan Rogers had to plead unawareness of the incident other than what the post-match interviewer was alleging and an unwillingness to comment until after viewing the tapes what was more intriguing was the response of Rafael Benitez who seemed not to be that much bothered and rather downplayed the incident.

As for me, after Suarez whammed home that 96min 36sec equaliser, his teeth would have proven no deterrent – I could have kissed him !

Ruarai

The immediate reaction of the pundits here was also that he must be sacked but an hour later they seemed to be back-pedallling and were now talking suspension and fines.

Thanks for the update RC, I was wondering how it was unfolding in the UK. Fascinating to think that the calculus of LFC’s American and globally ambitious owners – like that at ever more EPL clubs – is no longer confined to England though. Indeed, it would be well worth knowing what coverage Henry and co turn to first.

Following LFC’s ‘batton down the hatches’ PR response to last year’s Suárez-Evra racism scandal, it will be fascinating to watch whether they throw LS to the wolves and fast this time.

Only thing for certain is that LFC will not be using the same PR playbook they used – whatever the nobility of their “you’ll never walk alone” intentions – to awful effect under Kenny D.

This is more of a Big Moment for Brendan Rogers than Suárez himself (whose moment may have passed).

He can’t keep him – even if he did ride out the “something must be done!” crowd, it would place the club too much at the mercy of one intemperate livewire. And yet, how heartbreaking must it be to contemplate losing your only world class player; a player absolutely perfectly suited to your strategy – and your only box-office player at a time when no Champions League absence makes recruiting world beaters almost impossible.

Excruciating for BR.

Suárez has let the club down a bagfull.

BluesJazz

I had a fiver on 2-2 at 12/1. So whoopee-do Luis. Football lost any morality decades ago. So, like most people, i couldn’t care less. It’s all about the money, money, money. Juventus will not care one iota about his behaviour anymore than Sunderland cared about hiring an openly fascist manager. Norman ‘bites yer legs’ Hunter and ‘Chopper’ Harris must be wondering what all the fuss is.

Mark

” The is more of a Big moment for Brendan Rogers ” ……

Totally agree , The way Kenny Dalglish handled the Evra incident last year cost him his job IMO . Rogers can’t let the same thing happen to him . He needs to call a spade a spade . The footage is there for all to seeunlike with the Evra incident where it was a case of his word against Evra’s . It’s a shame for the club because he’s as important as Messi is to Barca .

When Cantona kicked that racist lout who was verbally abusing his mother , the club suspended him within 24 hours for the remainder of the season . That took the sting out of the situation , the FA didn’t feel under the kind of pressure they’ll face in the morning . I wouldn’t be surprised to see to see Suarez gone by the end of the coming week .

On the actual incident itself , the guy is an animal . he may have had a tough upbringing on the ” tough streets of South America ” but that’s no excuse . he’s proved yet again that he is unmanagable . As a football fan , I love to watch him play but he’s gone too far today . There’ll be kids in playgrounds and on piches tomorrow with chunks bitten our of their elbows .

Juve have offered 50 million + and will not be bothered by an overreaction. Schumacher wasn’t chastised for his goalkeeper’s reaction for West Germany and this is hardly in the same league.

Mark

Juve had Gaddafi’s son on their books in the 90’s so Suarez going to Turin wouldn’t be that big a deal …..

They’re only back in Seria A in the last couple of years having been demoted to Seria B because of their latest attempt at match fixing .

Schmacher started out going for the ball but after realising he wasn’t going to get it , he knocked out the french player ( Batiston ? ) whereas Suarez just bit your man … no comparison BJ .

Red Lion

Don’t bring Eric Cantona into it; he is a God-like genius.

Suarez isn’t fit to lace Eric the Kings boots.

derrydave

Soooooooo……..Jermain Defoe bit Javier Mascherano in a match in 2006 or 2007 – anyone remember the mass outrage and disgust expressed at the time ???…..no, me neither, because there was none ! Suarez is simply the latest ‘bad-guy’ picked by the press, and everything he does is magnified 100 times over to fit the narrative of the savage from South America. For everyones info, Defoe was not punished at all by the FA as he had been booked during the match for the incident. Suarez will leave Liverpool over all this shit, and the Premiership will be very much the worse for it. ps before anyone jumps in, no, I’m not a Liverpool fan, though I have noticed that the greatest moral outrage does seem to be coming from the fans of some other English team who play in red and come hail from the North West !!

Tochais Síoraí

If nothing else, he did get a taste of Champions League success.

I’ll get me coat.

Rory Carr

DerryDave has a point. It was only a little bite after all. A bit of a taster really, maybe even a love bite kind of thingy. I mean, it’s not as if he drew blood or spat out a lump of Ivanovic onto the turf. One wit on Yahoo ! drew on the vampire theme by posting, “…hes in the twilight of his career now.”

Let’s hope he’s not at the end of his career in the Premier League because he sure is good to watch and besides, anyone who can ram home such an equaliser against Chelsea in the dying seconds can surely be forgiven for anything short of on-pitch rape.

Ivanovic did have his arm across Suarez impeding his movement and the “bite” is really only a warning nip that this is not acceptable. A common gesture in Uruguayan sporting culture I am told (well, just made up really, but what the heck ?).

But, let me repeat, let me emphasise what is really important here – Suarez knocked home an equalising goal against Chelsea. So, let us get our priorities right here – if Suarez to be taken to task it is for earlier failing to ensure that that was instead a winning goal !

Perhaps when The Plod have a word with him they might want to bring up that much more serious failure of public duty while they’re at it.

Ruarai

Tochais Síoraí – simply tremendous stuff.

between the bridges

i’m guessing a 10 match ban and at l’pool next year. Imho they can’t do with out him and his goals, the problem is what will he do next?

USA

He is a very good player, but I would move him on for 50 million in a heartbeat.

Ruarai

What would you do with your 50million, minus the Champions League and Sureaz to lure talent?

3 more years outside the Champions League and the 50m you get for Sureaz may seem like a very poor return indeed

Mark

Old Trafford tonight has shown that while Liverpool may have the ” Cannibal of Amsterdam ” , United have the ” Master ” ! .

USA

Rauri, Firstly, Liverpool will not make Champions League football next year with or without Suarez.

What would I do with the 50 million? There is plenty of talent out there to be picked up for much more reasonable prices. For that kind of money you could bring 3 good players to the squad, and with the final departure of Andy Carroll this summer Liverpool can be assured of another 10 million for the overpriced center forward. I think Wanyama from Glasgow Celtic would be an excellent purchase for any English Premier league team, although I think he would be best as a holding midfield replacement for Gareth Barry at Manchester City. And Wanyama can be got for 10 million or less.

Suarez damages the Liverpool brand, but it will be a tough test for Rodgers as Suarez is exactly the type of player Rodgers wants. I would move him on, 50 million is a heck of a lot of money for longer term progress, especially after Dalgleish squanderd 100 million two years ago.

Anyone who has watched a South American club game or world cup qualifier on sky will see it’s pretty brutal. Not as brutal as the 70’s and 80’s when Uruguay were threatened with expulsion by FIFA unless they cleaned up their act, but still nasty. Fights all over the pitch. Google Daniel Passerella if you want to see blood.